AU2006301517B2

AU2006301517B2 - Cleaning apparatus comprising a support member and a cleaning member having a special geometry

Info

Publication number: AU2006301517B2
Application number: AU2006301517A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Uwe Dingert; Falk Lindner; Christian Mast; Julia Von Grote-Pastre
Original assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
Current assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
Priority date: 2005-10-13
Filing date: 2006-10-11
Publication date: 2011-04-21
Anticipated expiration: 2026-10-11
Also published as: CA2625679A1; AU2006301517A1; WO2007042285A2; DE102005049486A1; CA2625679C; EP1943132A2; WO2007042285A3; EP2351673A1

Description

WO 2007/042285 1 PCT/EP 2006/009836 TRANSLATION I I October 2006 gm Applicant: Carl Freudenberg KG, 69469 Weinheim 5 Cleaning Apparatus Description Field of the Invention The invention relates to a cleaning apparatus comprising a support body on which a 10 cleaning member that is embodied in the shape of a hexagon or a lemon from a top view can be removably fastened, and where the support body is provided with a boundary edge. Background of the invention This type of cleaning apparatus is described in DE 201 20 211 UI. The prior art cleaning 15 apparatus has a plate shaped support body at one side of which holder strips are arranged by means of which a cleaning member, embodied as a sponge, can be removably fastened to the support body. The prior art cleaning apparatus is used predominantly for cleaning windows of motor vehicles which are mostly of convex form. When cleaning concave surfaces, for instance in the sanitary sector, it is a disadvantage that, within the region of 20 the boundary edge. the cleaning member is tightly compressed and therefore the boundary edge of the support body may be brought into engagement with the surface to be cleaned. In this event, the object to be cleaned may be damaged and the cleaning result thus impaired.

-2 Summary of the invention The present invention seeks to provide a cleaning apparatus which provides an improved cleaning effect for surfaces of concave shape. 5 In accordance with the invention, there is provided a cleaning device, comprising a rigid supporting body having a boundary edge, extending about substantially the entire periphery of the rigid supporting body, and a flexible cleaning body of hexagonal or lemon-shape in plan view which is detachably fastened to the supporting body, the 10 cleaning body extending beyond the boundary edge of the supporting body all along the boundary edge for deformation of the cleaning body upon engagement with concavely curved surfaces, wherein the deformation of the cleaning body leads to an increased contact pressure with the surface to be cleaned. 15 The cleaning member is designed to be flexible and therefore follows the contour of the object to be cleaned. By virtue of this, the boundary edge cannot come into contact with the object to be cleaned. Indeed, within the region of the boundary edge, the contact pressure of the cleaning member to the object to be cleaned is increased so that an improved cleaning effect in particular of more strongly concavely curved surfaces is 20 achieved. For this reason, the cleaning apparatus is particularly suited for the cleaning of objects in the sanitary sector. The contour of the cleaning member is formed by at least two lines which converge to at least two points. In one embodiment, when seen in top view, the cleaning member is in the shape of a lemon. By virtue of the two points, the cleaning effect in hard-to-reach corners is improved. In this embodiment, the support body has a similar 25 shape. In the other embodiment, the cleaning member is a hexagon. In this embodiment also at least two points are created, which improve the cleaning of hard-to-reach corners, and furthermore at least two linear edges which can be disposed at linear edges of the object to be cleaned. Preferably, the cleaning member is designed such that it can be brought into direct contact with the surface to be cleaned. It can for instance be formed 30 from open-pore foam which has a high water absorption capacity so that the cleaning member can be soaked with cleaning fluid. The fastening of the cleaning member is -3 preferably achieved in such a manner that it can be easily removed for replacing. The cleaning member can have a longitudinal extent and a transverse extent, with the longitudinal extent being greater than the transverse extent. In this embodiment, the result 5 is a wiping direction with a wide wiping surface and a further wiping direction wherein small areas are particularly easily accessible. The support body can be connected with a handle. The connection can be by articulation thereby increasing flexibility. By virtue of the handle, the ergonomy of the cleaning 10 apparatus is improved, since low surfaces can be reached without bending. Furthermore, the cleaning force can be easily adjusted and, if necessary, the cleaning apparatus can be operated with both hands. The handle can have a length of 30 to 140 cm. The cleaning apparatus therefore takes up 15 little space and, with the aid of the handle, the cleaning apparatus can also be used for cleaning surfaces which are above floor level. The cleaning member can be fastened to the support body in a force-fit and/or form-fit manner, In such arrangements, the cleaning member is easily and non-destructively 20 releasable from the support body, in cases such as for instance to facilitate fastening to the support body a cleaning member, which is particularly adapted to a specific different cleaning purpose, or to replace the cleaning member with a new cleaning member. In one embodiment, the fastening can be achieved by means of a dovetail connection or another clamp connection. 25 Preferably, the cleaning member is fastened to the support body by means of a hook and loop fastening and wherein the hooks of said hook and loop fastening are of homogenous material and integrally formed with said support body. The fastening step is particularly easy and the firmness of the connection may increase during the cleaning process.

C \RPonbI\DCC\CA8\3076669.1 DOC-20/7/20tO -3A The hooks of the hook and loop fastening can be of homogenous material and integrally formed with the support body. A hook and loop fastening comprises hooks and loops which, in order to achieve fastening, are brought into engagement and are hooked together. 5 The loops can be made of a polyamide web which is arranged on the side of the cleaning member directed towards the support body. Due to hook component and support WO 2007/042285 4 PCT/EP 2006/009836 body being of homogenous material, the processing steps are reduced and thus the manufacturing costs of the cleaning apparatus. The cleaning member can be formed from foam, in which case the cleaning member can be of polyurethane or cellulose foam which can also be of the open-pore type. Foam, in 5 particular open-pore foam, is characterised by its high water absorption capacity. Furthermore, depending on its configuration, foam is very flexible, at least when wet. The cleaning member can have an abrasive coating. The abrasive coating can be embodied by polyurethane having been reduced to very small particles. By virtue of the abrasive coating the cleaning effect is improved vis a vis firmly adhering contaminants, 10 such as for instance soap rings in bath tubs. The abrasive coating can also consist of fibres which are soaked vith an adhesive. The cleaning member can project beyond the boundary edge of the support body by at least I cm. This results in a high flexibility of the cleaning member. It is possible to fasten a cleaning cloth to the support body. Due to a cleaning cloth being 15 additionally attached. the utilisation spectrum of the cleaning apparatus is widened. Depending on the configuration of the cleaning cloth, the cleaning apparatus can be used for dusting or for in-between floor washing sessions. For the first mentioned use, preferably dry non woven cloths can be attached and, for the second mentioned use, cleaning cloths premoistened with a cleaning solution are attached. 20 The cleaning member can have a raised area which is essentially formed congruent with a recess in the support body. The raised area can simultaneously serve as a grip and as a fastening element. In this case at least two opposite sides of the raised area can be formed as a dovetail profile, where the raised area engages a congruently formed recess of the support body. 25 WO 2007/042285 5 PCT/EP 2006/009836 Brief Description of the drawing Several embodiment examples of the cleaning apparatus in accordance with the invention are described in detail below by reference to the Figures. These show diagrammatically: Figure I: a cleaning apparatus with a hexagonal cleaning member; 5 Figure 2: a cleaning apparatus with lemon-shaped outline; Figure 3: a cleaning apparatus with handle; Figure 4: a cleaning apparatus with cleaning cloth attached; Figure 5: a cleaning apparatus in exploded view; Figure 6: a cleaning apparatus with cleaning member fastened in a torm-fit 10 manner; Figure 7: a cleaning member for a cleaning apparatus as per Figure 6. Detailed description of embodiments of the invention 15 Figure I shows a cleaning apparatus I which has a support body 2 to which a cleaning member 3 can be fastened and from which it can be released in a non destructive and simple manner. The support body 2 is made from an injection moulded plastic part and has a circumferential boundary edge 4. The cleaning member 3, which is fixed to the support 20 body 2 by means of a hook and loop fastening connection 12, protrudes beyond the boundary edge 4 of the support body 2 by at least I cm. The cleaning member 3 is WO 2007/042285 6 PCT/EP 2006/009836 attached in a form-fit and force-fit manner to the support body 2 by means of the hook and loop fastener. The cleaning member 3 has a longitudinal extent 5 and a transverse extent 6, where the longitudinal extent 5 is greater than the transverse extent 6. Further, in this embodiment the cleaning member 3 has the shape of a hexagon. The support body 2 5 is connected with a handle I I which, in this embodiment, has a length of 75 cm. The handle I 1 is coupled to the support body 2 by a universal joint 19. The handle I I can also be presented as a bolted connection. The cleaning member 3 is made from open-pore polyurethane foam and, on the side directed towards the surface to be cleaned, has an abrasive coating 14. The cleaning member 3 is designed such that it can be brought into 10 direct contact with the floor to be cleaned. Figure 2 shows a cleaning apparatus I as per Figure 1, wherein the contour of the cleaning member 3 is formed by merely two lines 7, 8 which converge to form two points 9, 10. This results in the cleaning member having a lemon shaped outline. Figure 3 shows a cleaning apparatus I as per Figure I with the handle I I in this 15 embodiment being telescopable and allowing a length of 30 to 140 cm to be selected. Figure 4 shows a cleaning apparatus I as per Figure I where. at its support body 2, a cleaning cloth 15, in this embodiment made of a non woven, is fastened. To facilitate fastening. the support body 2 is equipped with softclips 18 of an elastic material by means of which the cleaning cloth 15 is easily attachable and removably fastened to the 20 support body. Figure 5 shows an exploded view of a cleaning apparatus I as per Figure i. This shows that the hooks 13 of the hook and loop fastening 12 are of homogenous material and integrally formed with the support body 2. The loops 20 of the hook and loop fastening 12 are embodied by a fleece, which consists of velour or a polyamide web. The loops 20 25 are fastened on the side of the cleaning member 3, which is directed towards the support body 2.

C \NRPonbl\CCCABO0 da I DOC-20/)7/2010 -7 Figure 6 shows a cleaning apparatus 1, which has a support body 2 at which a cleaning member 3 is releasably affixable. The support body 2 is made of an injection moulded plastic part and has a circumferential boundary edge 4. The cleaning member 3, which is affixed by means of a form fit connection to the support body 2, protrudes past the 5 boundary edge 4 of the support body 2 by at least 1 cm. The cleaning member 3 has a longitudinal extent 5 and a transverse extent 6, wherein the longitudinal extent 5 is greater than the transverse extent 6. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cleaning member 3 has a hexagonal shape. The support body 2 is connected with a handle 11. The cleaning member is made of open-cell polyurethane foam and has an abrasive coating 14 on the side directed 10 towards the surface to be cleaned. For the purpose of fastening the cleaning member 3 to the support body 2, the cleaning member 3 has a raised area 16, which is designed to be congruent to a recess 17 of support body 2. In this arrangement the lateral faces of the raised area and the recess are dovetail-shaped. 15 Figure 7 shows a cleaning member 3, which is suitable for fastening to a cleaning apparatus 1 as per Figure 6. The cleaning member 3 has a raised area 16, whose lateral faces 20, as seen in cross section, is dovetail-shaped. The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), 20 or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates. 25 Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

Claims

1. A cleaning device, comprising a rigid supporting body having a boundary edge, extending about substantially the entire periphery of the rigid supporting body, and a flexible cleaning body of hexagonal or lemon-shape in plan view which is detachably fastened to the supporting body, the cleaning body extending beyond the boundary edge of the supporting body all along the boundary edge for deformation of the cleaning body upon engagement with concavely curved surfaces, wherein the deformation of the cleaning body leads to an increased contact pressure with the surface to be cleaned.

2. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cleaning member has a longitudinal extent and a transverse extent, where said longitudinal extent is greater than said transverse extent.

3. The cleaning apparatus according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said support body is connected with a handle.

4. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said handle has a length of 30 to 140 cm.

5. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said cleaning member can be fastened to said support body in a force-fit and/or form-fit manner.

6. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the cleaning member is fastened to the support body by means of a hook and loop fastening and wherein the hooks of said hook and loop fastening are of homogenous material and integrally formed with said support body.

7. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said cleaning member is made of foam. -9

8. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said cleaning member comprises an abrasive coating.